Sheet registering mechanism for printing



April 15, 1952 w. F. HUCK SHEET REGISTERING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING FiledSept. 27, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET l k D u F m .hmm m w INVENTOR ATTOR EY5Patented Apr. 15, 1952 SHEET REGISTERING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING WilliamF. Huck, Forest Hills, N. Y., assignor to R. Hoe & 00., Inc., New York,N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 27, 1946, SerialNo. 699,937

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in sheet registering mechanismsfor printing machines.

The general object of the invention is to provide improved means forlaterally registering the sheet, as it is fed to the printing machine.

'In my previous Patent No. 2,231,914, I disclose a registering cylinderprovided with lateral registering devices in the form of suction platestogether'with means for moving these plates laterally at predeterminedpoints in the rotation cycleof the registering mechanism, for thepurpose of providing lateral registry. I have discovered that thesuction devices can be eliminated, producing, a considerablesimplification in the construction.

With the foregoing general object and still other objects which willappear in the following full description in mind, the invention consistsin the combinations and arrangements of parts and details ofconstruction which will now first be fully described in'connection withthe accompanying drawing and then be more particularl pointed out in theappended claims. I

In the drawing;

'figure 1 is a schematic end elevation ofa registering cylinderembodying the invention in a preferred form; t

Figure 2 is a plan View thereof;

Figure 3 is an enlarged section taken on the line 3 30f Figure 2, andshowing details of the mechanism of the present invention; I

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 44 of Figure 3; and

I Figure 5 is a detail view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4. a

Complete details of the registering cylinder and associated mechanismare shown in my above mentioned patent, and are not reproduced herein,the drawing of the present application showing only such parts andmechanism as are I along the surface of, the'registering cylinder 5.

The registering cylinder 5 will be driven in timed relation to and atthe same rate of speed as the printing cylinders. The belts l and thetapes 4 will run somewhat faster, so that ,a sheet of paper is presentedto and slid along the registering cylinder to obtain front registry byabutting carry it along to the press. The way in which the sheet ispresented to the printing units is determined by its position at thetime when it is taken by the gripper bar 9, and, accordingly, itsregistration should be complete and accurate at this time.

For registering the sheet laterally, I provide a moveable surfaceelement or elements for the cylinder together with means for displacingsuch element or elements axially of the cylinder at predetermined pointsin the rotation cycle. As shown in the drawing, a displaceable element,in the form of a thin sheet metal plate or shell l0, may be provided,this element being held upon the cylinder body II, as by means ofprojecting keys l2,-attachedto the shell ID, as by screws 13, andentering into slots [4 in the cylinder body, The shell ID is furtherattached to one or more bars l5 slidably mounted within grooves i6formed in ablock l'l fixed in the surface of the registering cylinderand running lengthwise thereof. The bars 15 are formed in two sections,20 and 2|, held together by screws 22. The lower section 2| carriesflanges 23 cooperating with slots 24 formed in the sides of the groovel6. Bearing balls 25 are located in the slots 24 on either side of theflanges 23, providing a longitudinal bearing therefor, and allowing themember l5 free movement longitudinally of the registering cylinder.

The shell l0 may have rectangular cutouts 3%] formed in its surface,cooperating with similarly shaped fastening plates 3|. The plates 3| fitinto depressions 32 in the outer surface of the sections 20 of themembers I5, being heldin place by screws 33. The edges of the cutoutportions of the shell ill are turned downand under the plates 3|, beingclamped between these plates and the sections 20. I

T-shaped bars are fitted into T-shaped grooves 41 formed in the .blockIT on either side of the central groove [6. The shell H] is attached tothese bars 40 by screws 42, the bars 40 being adapted for longitudinalmovement within the grooves 4!, when the shell ID is moved.

Figure 4' illustrates the mechanism provided for moving the shell 10 tocontrol register of the paper being fed to the printing couple withwhich the registering cylinder is associated. A block isbolted to thelower surface of the member I5 and carries a roller 5! for engagement bya cam member 52. A spring 53 engages the side of the block 50 oppositethe roller 5| and at its other end engages one of the ribs 55 of thecylinder structure, urging the block 58 and the member 5 to which it isattached to the right (see Figure 4) The cam member 52 is mounted uponan arm attached to a rod 55. for rotation therewith. The rod 55 extendsthrough the various rib members 55 of the cylinder and through the endof the cylinder, carrying an arm 51 upon which a cam roller 58 ismounted. The roller 58 engages a fixed cam surface 59 so that the rod 56is rocked in a predetermined way upon each rotation of the cylinder,consequently moving the cam member 52 back and forth withinpredetermined limits. Each movement of the cam 52 against the roller 5|causes a longitudinal movement of the member I5 and consequent shiftingof the position of the plate Ill attached thereto, the spring 53opposing the action of the cam 52. In the embodiment shown, both of themembers I5 are attached to a single shell l and move in the samedirection. Accordingly, only a single means for moving the shell illneed be provided and the cam and bearing mechanism shown in Figure 4will be provided for only one of the members [5.

In the embodiment illustrated, I have shown the stop, against which thesheet is registered laterally, as carried by the shell 10. This stoptakes the form of an arcuate shoulder 65 formed on the surface of theshell [0 at its end, and

against which the sheet being handled may abut.

When the sheet is first received by the cylinder, the shell [0 is heldin the extreme left position, through pressure of the cam 52 against theroller 5|v in opposition to the spring 53, roller 58 being onthe lowdwell of cam 59. As the cylinder rotates the cam 52 is moved, allowingthe spring 53 to urge the plate It) to the right, whereupon the edge ofthe paper is engaged by the shoulder 60. This action occurs as roller 58passes along a rise of the cam 59. Engagement of the shoulder 60 withthe edge of the paper, and the fric" tional traction of the paper on thesurface of the plate I0, determined by the pressure of the belts 4thereagainst, will shift the paper to the right to a predeterminedposition to provide proper registry thereof. This position is reachedwhen the roller 58 reaches the high dwell of cam 59.

The propelling force of the tapes t, being proportional to the tapetension, angle of wrap, coeflicient of friction and number of tapes,will be selected as heretofore so as to propel the paper along thecylinder surface, until the front stops 6 are reached by the leadingedge of the sheet, the belts thereafter slipping on the paper. Byselecting the factors before mentioned, I have been enabled to provide afront and lateral registration of the paper without use of air suctionor other relatively complicated devices.

The fixed cam surface 59 is so plotted as to provide for the return ofthe plate ill to its extreme left position after the sheet has beentaken by the grippers and before the leading edge of the plate l0reaches the point where a new sheet is supplied by the belts I. Thetapes 4, having been shifted somewhat to the right during theregistering movement of the plate It, at their point of contact with thecylinder, will relocate themselves during the remainder of the rotationof the cylinder, while in contact with the surface of the cylinder notcovered by the plate l0.

The tapes 4 are positioned longitudinally of the cylinder by a pluralityof flanged sheaves 55 carried on a shaft 66 by cylinders 67 and 69carried on the shafm S8 and 10. The tapes may be propelled by anysuitable mechanism, such as the gearing shown in my patent abovereferred to. The grip of the plate it upon the sheet is proportional tothe coefiicient of friction of the materials involved, to the tension ofthe tapes 4, to the angle of wrap of the tapes 4 above the plate 10, andto the number of tapes provided. By controlling these various factors.the action of the plate It! may be accurately determined with theconditions of operation involved. In the embodiment shown, where thestop is carried by the plate l0 itself, these factors will be adjustedso that the plate In will be moved under the sheet until the stopengages its edge and thereafter the pressure of the stop 60 and thefriction of the plate l0 against the paper will move the sheet intolaterally registered position. Buckling of the paper is avoided by theslight amount of pressure which need be exerted by the stop 60 againstthe edge of the sheet and by the tapes 4 holding the sheet flat againstthe cylinder. In cases where it is preferred to move the sheet against astationary stop, the factors referred to above will be adjusted so as toprovide sufficient friction between the paper and the movable plate asto enable the plate to move the sheet against the stop. The coefficientof friction between the tapes 4 and the paper being ordinarily higherthan the coefficient of friction between the paper and the plate H3,movement of the paper relative to the tapes in the axial direction willnot occur. However, as pointed out above, the tapes shift slightly,sidewise, and in so shifting, the reaction involved is very small. Inview of the higher coefficient of friction between the belts and thepaper, as compared to the coefficient of friction between the plate Inand the paper, the forward movement of the paper circumferentially ofthe cylinder, which is caused by the tapes 4 traveling at a slightlyhigher linear speed for providing front registry, will not be interferedwith.

In the embodiment shown, a single movable surface element is providedand takes the form of a shell wrapped around the cylinder. Such shellwill be of a relatively thin metal so as not to interfere appreciablywith the concentricity of the cylinder or affect the speed or movementof the paper unduly. Where desired, a plurality of movable surfaceelement may be utilized, controlling the paper motion, as, for example,in my patent above mentioned, and such surface elements may be formedupon relatively thick members, the cylinder being recessed as requiredto provide concentricity.

The registration of the sheet upon the cylinder requires the exertion ofa registering traction thereon, and positioning the sheet in apredetermined location upon the cylinder, as determined by the stop. Inthe embodiment shown, the sheet has little or no lateral component ofmotion when fed to the registering cylinder. Before the time when thesheet is accelerated to a speed of movement axially of the cylinder thatis equal to that of the plate and moves therewith, the stop '66 willengage the edge of the sheet, imparting an additional axial forcethereto, and thereafter the sheet will move with the plate I 0 and itsaxial movement will be stopped when the plate reaches its extreme limitas determined by the cam mechanisms 58, 59 and 5|, 52. The extent ofmovement of the sheet prior to engagement thereof by the stop 60 maybevery small or may be considerable, so that the pressures involved arenot critical. In cases Where it is preferred to register the sheetagainst a stationary stop, as in my patent above mentioned, theregistering traction exerted thereon maybe slightly different,

but again may vary within side limits as determined by the time allowedand tendency of the paper to buckle when brought against a stop at toohigh speed. By selecting the factors of number, tension and wrap of thebelts which press the sheet against the moving surface segment, and thearc of the segment, a proper registering traction may be provided forany desired condition of operations. It may be noted that an automaticcompensation is involved, which makes the speed of movement of, theplate It), in the embodiment illustrated, not critical. If the speed ofmovement of the plate 10 is increased, the stop 60 will engage the sheetmore quickly. However, the registering traction imparted to the sheetprior to this time, being a function of the slip velocity between thesurfaces involved, as well as the other factors mentioned, will likewisebe increased so that the sheet will be accelerated more rapidly prior tothe time when the stop ensimilar to that shown in Figure 4, butoperating in a reverse direction to provide for registry along suchopposite edge.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sheet registering mechanism, and in combination, a registeringcylinder having an axially extending groove in its surface and anaxially reciprocable bar, slidably mounted therein, an arcuate shellattached to said bar for reciprocation therewith and extending aroundthe cylinder through a multiple of the arc subtended by the groove,tapes for pressing a sheet against the cylinder, means for positioningand tensioning the tapes, the said tapes being so tensioned andpositioned and the arc of the said shell being such as to exert alateral registering traction upon the sheet upon movement of said shell,and the tape positioning means being constructed to provide for slightlateral shifting of the tapes by the sheet'as the sheet moves laterallyin response to said lateral registering traction, and means for movingsaid bar so as to move the shell and register the sheet laterally.

2. In a sheet registering mechanism, and in combination, a registeringcylinder having an axially extending groove in its surface and anaxially reciprocable bar slidably mounted therein, an arcuate shellattached to said bar for reciprocation therewith and extending aroundthe cylinder through a multiple of the arc subtended by the groove,driven tapes for pressing a sheet against the cylinder, means forpositioning and tensioning the tapes, the said tapes being so tensionedand positioned and the arc of the said shell being such as to exert alateral registering traction upon the sheet upon movement of said shell,and the tape positioning means being constructed to provide for slightlateral shifting of the tapes by the sheet as the sheet moves laterallyin response to said lateral registering traction, a stop for engaging alateral edge of the being such as to provide circumferential registeringtraction between the tapes and the sheet for urging the sheet againstthe said stops, the said tapes also being so tensioned and positionedand the arc of the said surface segment being such as to exert a lateralregistering traction upon the sheet upon axial movement of said segment,and the tape positioning means being constructed to provide for slightlateral shifting of the tapes by the sheet as the sheet moves laterallyin response to said lateralregisteringtraction, and means for movingsaid segment to register the sheet laterally.

4. In a sheet registering mechanism, and in combination, a registeringcylinder,having an axially movable surface segment, front stops on thesaid cylinder for engagement with the leading edge of a sheet, tapes forpressing a sheet against the cylinder and driven at a speed slightlyfaster than the cylinder, means for positioning and tensioning thetapes, the pressure of the said tapes being such as to providecircumferential registering traction between the tapes and the sheet forurging the sheet against the said front stops, the said tapes also beingso tensioned and'positioned and the arc of the said surface segmentbeing such as to exert a lateral registering traction upon thesheet'upon axial movement of the said surface segment, and the tapepositioning means being constructed to provide for slight lateralshifting of the tapes by the sheet as the sheet moves laterally inresponse to said lateral registering traction, a stop for engaging alateral edge of the sheet, and means for moving the said surface segmentto register the sheet laterally against the said stop.

5. In a sheet registering mechanism, and in combination, a registeringcylinder having an axially movable surface segment, front stops on thesaid cylinder for engagement with the leading edge of a sheet, tapes forpressing a sheet against the cylinder and driven at a speed slightlyfaster than the cylinder, means for positioning and tensioning thetapes, the pressure of the said tapes being such as to providecircumferential registering traction between the tapes and the sheet forurging the sheet against the said front stops, the said tapes also beingso tensioned and positioned and the arc of the said surface segmentbeing such as to exert a lateral registering traction upon the sheetupon axial movement of the said surface segment, a stop at one end ofthe cylinder and movable with the surface segment for engaging a lateraledge of the sheet, and means for moving the last said stop and thesurface segment to register the, sheet laterally against the said stop.

' WILLIAM F. HUCK.

REFERENCES CITED .The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,780,348 Eckhard Nov. 4, 19301,927,585 Fischer et a1. Sept. 19, 1933 2,033,849 Mudd Mar. 10, 19362,231,914 Huck Feb. 18, 1941 2,282,585 Hoppe May 12, 1942

